An Unexpected Guest
by xMarintax
Summary: Even when they were traveling together, Boots Cousland disliked the 'Warden Commander' as much as she disliked him – so why was he helping her out tonight? Out of pity, an old friendship, or...? *Implied CouslandXSurana*


**Title: **An Unexpected Guest.

**Rating:** 17+ for language, violence, implied past relationships,

**Fandom:** Dragon Age: Origins/Awakening.

**Pairings:** None unless you count WardenxWarden (BootsxAki) as a possible pairing.

**100 Themes:** 5 - Seeking Solace

**Warnings: **Dragon Age fan-characters/fan-Wardens base off of the in-game Wardens.

**Summary: ** Even when they were traveling together, Boots Cousland disliked the 'Warden Commander' as much as she disliked him – so why was he helping her out tonight? Out of pity, an old friendship, or...?

The clouds were thundering in the night sky – causing Boots Cousland's Mabari, Pako to whimper and duck its head under the table in fear. Scoffing and rolling his eyes, Boots walked over to the war-dog patting it on the back.

"You've fought through hundreds be-on thousands of dark-spawn...A little thunder storm shouldn't scare you this much anymore."

The Mabari whined, trying to drag itself father under the small table.

The ex-Warden sighed, rubbing his brow and trailing along the blue-hued tattoo that went along his face. "What _am _I going to do with you?" He questioned out-loud, the flash of lighting up the room through the open window – causing him to spin around towards it, while the sound of thunder striking the ground caused his Mabari to yelp.

Squinting his eyes to see into the dark, he jumped seeing an outline of a figure – a dark-spawn? – being lighten up from the lighting again. A shock of fear and panic went down his spine; Boots quickly search around for his old daggers or arrow; anything to use to murder any upcoming dark-spawn from coming any closer.

Fumbling with his daggers, Boots scoffed. How the hell did he become a Grey Warden to begin with if he can't get ready in a hurry? Forcing the doorway open, the winds howl through into the house, causing Pako to whine and hurry to its master's side.

Trying to keep his breathing to a low pace, Boots made his way down the pathway, holding his daggers in an offensive position – to whatever that was making its way towards him. He didn't need more dark-spawn ruining his life.

* * *

><p>Dragging her near-limp body along, the Warden-Commander Aki tried to pry herself up using her staff, her usually messy-orange hair laying flat on her face. <em>'I'm almost there...'<em> She thought, coughing up bile a few seconds after. Her mind was fuzzy, her movements were sluggish – she could just barely see the light coming from an open door in few yards away from her.

How did this happen to a Warden-Commander? She didn't quite remember how – all she did was that she was trying to help rid the country-side of a group of villagers...When she found herself wandering around in a field; in pain and along ways from her team-mates and friends.

A flash of lighting lit up the sky as quickly as the thunder after it, scaring Aki from her weak trail of thought and causing her to fall onto the ground – crushing her staff in half the process. Moaning in pain, she tried to lift herself up, only to feel a burning pain from within her veins; dark-spawn, or possibly a ghoul –

Staggering up, Aki coughed up mixture of bile and blood. "F-Fuck..." She cursed, wrapping her arms around her stomach. As another flash of lighting lit up the sky, Aki barely had a second to forced herself up into a standing position to move from the incoming swing of the Genlock's axe – losing her footing at the last second causing her to slam against a small formation of rocks, scrapping through her robes and cutting her thorax.

"Fuck -!" Aki cursed again, pushing herself up with her hand to fully force herself to move. "How didn't I sense it sooner -" She spoke to herself , while the flashes and the thundering of the veering storm didn't help Aki in her near-panic and pained-up state. With every flash there was another dark-spawn; with every crashing sound of thunder there was another one trying to kill her.

Trying not to get hit by the small group of dark-spawn, she tripped – her dull green eyes widen in fear as she fell face first onto the ground, trying not to scream from the pain going through her body.

Aki was a goner – and she knows it.

* * *

><p>Through the flashes of lighting, Boots saw a human – an apostate mage? – getting attack by dark-spawn. "Marker-damnit!" He growled, throwing an dagger at a dark-spawn, causing it to fall over; dead.<p>

"How didn't I feel you bastards here earlier?"

Trying not the step over the possibly dead mage, Boots yanked his dagger out of the fallen Genlock, getting ready for the next follow through-attack from the predictable creatures.

Predicting their swings and attacks, this was a pretty easy fight for him and he was starting to remember why he was what he was months ago – it was _ridiculously easy_. While the last Genlock fallen, due to Pako, Boots sighed, putting his daggers away like it was a second nature as he turned towards the fallen mage, a frown on his face.

"There's something different about this one – Marker's breath, they look like they're dead or a ghoul..." He commented to himself, trying to flip the mage over to get a better look at whoever it was.

Once seeing her face, Boots cursed under his breath. "Does the Marker love fucking with me or something?"

Pako tilted his head, whimpering, nuzzling the fallen Warden. Boots just grumbled, picking up the mage and heading towards his place. "This better be worth it..."

* * *

><p>Fear and panic shock Aki awake, her breath caught in her throat and her pulse running. Looking around the room in havoc manner – her vision still blurred from the fall. The blankets that covered her slid off, giving her a chance to notice the layers of bandaging over her chest and stomach. <em>'Was I injured that badly...?'<em>

Taking another glance of the room, she frowned. This wasn't where she was supposed to be – where's the Keep? Anders? Varel? Frowning, she glanced down towards the floor, noticing a larger; scar Mabari lying next to the bed. Blinking, she forced herself back some – not wanting wake up the old war-dog from it slumber.

Just where was she -?

The sound of creaking steps drove Aki from her thoughts as she brought the blanket closer to her chest. If they were an ally, she wouldn't attack – if they were foe, however... She gulped, shifting in the bed. She was the Warden-Commander; one of the three Grey Wardens who saved Ferelden – this shouldn't scare her as much as it already did.

As the door-knob turned, Aki eyes grew wide, backing up against the wall. The thing that made Aki question her own fear and panic was a snigger – a familiar snigger.

While it took her eyes a while to adjust, the figure seemed to pull out a chair from the near-by desk and sat beside the bed, crossing his arms.

"My my, Warden-Commander, you seem disorientated." The male said with a scoff – his smug voice causing Aki to frown and slouch.

"Cousland." She murmured bitterly, glancing away from the dark-skinned ex-Warden.

"Aw, she remembers her old companion!" Boots clapped his hands together in mock-excitement. "Maybe now we should reminisce about our past travels and past romances!"

Aki just stared at the Warden beside her, in disbelief. Has the life after the Wardens really that harsh for him – or was he still bitter about the whole ordeal? "You seem as peachy as ever..." She muttered, straining her eyes.

Jeering and rolling his eyes, Boots leaned back in his chair, it creaking under his weight. "So do you – the whimpering and cries in your sleep speaks wonders about you." He closed his eyes slightly before looking at her with a stern look in his eye. "The Blight is over – it's just the Thaw now. You of all people should know this by now, _Commander of the Grey_."

Aki flinched at his tone, at the way he said 'Commander of the Grey' – as if the title itself was that of the Taint. "Of course I know – why wouldn't I know? I-I helped save the Blight – help end it..." She spluttered about, looking away from him.

Staring at her, Boots leaned forward in his chair – the front legs of his chair slamming against the ground causing his Mabari to wake up in haste. "You're panicky – more panicky then when _we both_ had our first Visions." He narrowed his eyes at her, watching her react. "There's something wrong, isn't there?"

A few long seconds went by, Aki kept her glaze away from Boots, keeping her glaze down – studying how the bandages went wrapped, how the blood seem to seep through them even though they were supposedly layered.

Annoyed, Boots stood up grabbing the chair and clacking it against the desk, causing Pako jump up and scamper next to him. Aki's brow went back, watching him leave the room with a slam of the door.

She glanced down to herself, at her bandaged body, sobbing.

* * *

><p>Grumbling and stomping his way down the 3rd-floor stairway, Boots growled, trashing his fist into a wall, causing Pako to bring his head down in a low whimper.<p>

"Maker's Breath – she's acting as immature as ever!" He shouted, his Mabari tilting it's head and whining a low whine, nuzzling it's head against his clench hand. Looking down at it, Boots sighed, rubbing it's nose. "You're not helping," He muttered. "But at least you're trying."

Glancing up towards the direction of her room, he sighed, making his way down the stairs and heading towards his sitting area. "I don't know, Pako." He started, sitting down in a large, plush chair. "I just don't _know_. I left them after defeating the Archdemon, but for Maker's sake – she was fallen and injured not even 6 months later."

The Mabari laid down, looking at its master and whining in a confuse way.

He rubbed his brow, shaking his head. "What to do with her..." He muttered, glancing towards his Mabari, which only tilted its head to side.

Leaning back in his chair, Boots just watch the small fire glow while the dull lighting and low rumbling of thunder attempted to keep him from dazing off into thought, which wasn't succeeding.

Even if he never wanted to admit it, he did knew her better than her supposed lover would ever dream to, and that was because of one, simple thing; he_ listened_ to her.

Yes, both him and Aki fought and claimed hatred towards one another often during their travels, but when it came down to it they knew each other – understood one another.

Boots shifted in his plush-chair uncomfortably, a frown of frustration forming on his face. He placed his face in his hands and let it a long, drawing out a long sigh. He wasn't just going to drop everything for the Commander – yet, he wasn't going to throw her out staff-less and injured into the now possibly dark-spawn filled fields (because of _her_ no doubt). He grunted, gripping the plush arm tightly before releasing, letting a loud, long sigh.

Boots felt his body twitch from annoyance, his glance quickly heading towards the open doorway before he realized it. His old instincts were coming back…Of course - it was her to blame. Who others would it be?

Sighing, Boots pushed himself up from his chair a look of annoyance directed towards the ceiling. _'Of course she'd be awake still…'_ He thoughts bitterly, heading towards the stairway with a grunt. _'She's too stubborn to do anything else…'_

* * *

><p>Her body seem to wobble from side to side after standing up - but that was natural after what she went through…Right? One hand gripping on the bed post as the other was clench onto the blanket that kept her covered, Aki's legs shook and twitch as if merely standing in place was a foreign thing to her. What on Earth gave her this ideal? Oh yeah -Cousland.<p>

Reassuring herself, Aki took a staggering step forward her body wanting to collapse on itself. Did a hit on the chest really took that much out of her? Trying to slowly inch her way towards the closed doorway, she whimpered, her whole body starting to shake due to the pain shooting up with every step.

Her legs gave out in the middle of the room - her body landing on the floor with a loud _**'THUD!**_'. Aki clench the blanket towards her, whimpering more than before. This shouldn't hurt like it did - she's been through worst. When she made it back to the others - they'll have a laugh, and Anders would probably mock her for getting injured without him. Things would be alright…

…So why did it hurt?

Boots froze half-way up the second stair-way, his eyes wide from the loud and sudden thud coming from the third floor-room. _'What in Maker's name -' _His eye widen quicker from the realization before the thought entered his mind. '_That bloody idiot!'_

Racing up the stairways and through a hallway, Boots slammed through the doorway, his eyes scanning the room quickly before landing on the fallen and nearly out-conscious Mage on the floor. It seemed like his heart skip a beat.

"You idiotic, stupid Mage!" He shouted, more scared then annoyed - his voice flaring up towards the end. Quickly going towards his fall companion, Boots scoop her up into his arms, a scowl on his face. What the hell was she thinking! Was she meaning to cause him hell?

Aki seem to murmur something, something he couldn't hear at first, which just made his scowl deepen as he brought her up and back towards the bed - that damn bed.

"Maker's breath - what the hell were you thinking?" Boots grumbled, adjusting her in his arms slightly. Why wasn't he laying her back down in the bed…?

His voice as muffled to her - and she didn't have a clue why. Pain can't be this effective to her, she fought a fucking Archdemon for crying out loud. This should be painless to her. "I-I-" Her voice cracked as her breath got caught in her throat. "-I-I need to g-get out of her."

Frowning, Boots finally placed her on the bed, forcing her down with a strong hand. "You're not going anywhere for a couple of days." He hissed, his eyes narrowing. What the hell was he doing - the sooner he was rid of her the better! Why was he…?

She tried to move against his grip - to squeak out how his force was bruising her already bruised shoulder, how the pain wasn't just going to go away with bed-rest and lack of movement - but she couldn't. She just nodded slightly, forcing her eyes close, hoping for the next time she opened them he'll be gone; that she'll have another chance to leave him and this place.

Boots kept his glaze on her before letting go of her shoulder slowly, and letting out an annoyed sigh. Why didn't he let her go again? Not like it would've been the first time he let this idiot to get herself killed…

* * *

><p>She's been out for hours, yet he still sat there in that uncomfortable chair, and with a lousy book in his hands. And yet, Boots didn't knew why he forced himself to do this. He just kept his glaze to the words on the page, and tried to keep his expression plain and emotionless as the seconds passed.<p>

He tried not to feel anything at all but the subtle tiredness that was creeping in.

Of course, that was easier said than done…But he did that more times then he can count before - this time should be easier than the rest. His glaze drifted from the page slightly towards Aki, his brow pushing back slightly. For the love of the Maker - why the hell was he caring _now? _

Shifting his body slightly to place his book on the desk behind him, Aki shifted in her bed slightly, causing the Rouge to shoot up out of his chair, causing the book to cling on the side of the desk, the pages moving with the breeze of his movement.

Aki stirred slightly before waking up, propping herself up with her elbows, flinching from the pain that ached throughout her body. Her vision glazed and her mind a buzz for a couple of seconds. All she remembered was toppling over, and someone yelling at her to get up. Once her vision came back, she realized who it was that was yelling at her before.

Forcing herself back and covering herself yet again, she narrowed her eyes, frowning.

"…W-Why are you here?" Her voice squeaked again, her embarrassment and emotions getting to her already. "Yuu-You're supposed to be ignoring the Elf-mage in your upstairs bedroom, ignoring them and mock -" She paused in the middle of her ramblings, finally getting a good look of Boot's face, letting the silence slip in, fully looking at how tired he seemed.

Boots merely blinked slowly, slumping his head into the back of his hand, his elbow shifting slightly on his knee, waiting for her to continue on. After a moment's pause, Boots sighed, shutting his tired eyes for couple of seconds before speaking. "Yes, Surana?"

Shifting uncomfortably under the covers, Aki quickly moved her stare down towards her lap, tightening her grip. "How long were you there?" She asked quickly, her voice quicken due to the sudden embarrassment that came as quickly as her thought – he stayed there for her?

Yawning, Boots shifted himself back into a straighten position while rubbing his eyes. "A while – why, Maker pray-told I can't keep an eye on someone injured? Or is this just another 'Cousland's being a bastard' thing you've seem to develop over time?"

He watched her tense up again and bring the blanket closer to her body, her eyes flashing with a sudden hit of pain – of guilt.

Sighing, Boots spoke in a horsed voice, one unlike his own. "Maker…Look, I'm not here to fight with you, got it?" His eyes narrowed as he watched her still, studying her, watching her – like the first time they met. "I'm just nervous about how you're acting, got it? I don't want an Abomination murdering me during the night – or to find you out cold on the floor again."

Aki just sat there with the covers up close, her brows pushed back and her body shaking. All he wanted to know that _he_ wouldn't die – she knew it, she _felt it_ – so why did his voice seem to lie? Looking towards him with guilt-filled eyes, Aki's voice cracked and croak, making her curse mentally with every word. "This tha-that why you stayed here? _Just_ for yourself?"

It was Boots' turn for his eyes to flash with annoyance and embarrassment at Aki. "No, that isn't why I stayed." He said, again in a different voice from his own, a voice Aki seemed to want to ignore. "You don't listen, don't you? I want to make sure your life is secure before—" He scoff, forcing himself off mid-sentence, forcing himself to change his tone. "I just want to make sure you'll live, got it? Maker's breath, I can't let the Warden-Commander just die on my doorstep without trying to help her damn'd life!"

Aki snuck into herself as he spoke and gotten angry with…Himself? His anger wasn't directed to her – she knew that. _'At what though'_ kept ringing in her head. She shifted slightly, her eyes meeting with his for the first time this night (this morning?), feeling solace or comfort in them, and she hoped her eyes reflected that back.

Boots broke their connection after a moment, grumbling something under his breath. Rubbing the back of his head, he merely glanced at her from the corner of his eye, trying to ignore what happened minutes before.

"Just lay back down." He said, his voice horsed again, weak. "I don't need you re-opening those wounds." He forced himself up, trying not to fully look at her. "Just…Stay there, got it?"

Nodding slowly and faking a wince, Aki laid herself down with the covers up, her eyes following Boots head towards the door and hesitate slightly.

"Surana."

Flinching, Aki felt a small smile tug at her cheeks, her pale-green eyes softening. "Cousland?"

"Take care of yourself." With that, he left the room, Pako following close at his heels.

The stairway felt a bit emptier to him though, just like how the room felt emptier to Aki.

Solace seemed to had brought an unexpected guest...


End file.
